Stand Our Grounds
by A Great Ninja's Apprentice
Summary: A Final Battle. It's between them, and only one can win. OOC Two-shot


She raised her Zanpaktou, knowing this was it. The final face off to decide the winner of this long running feud. How the hell had she gotten herself into this mess? She looked up from the ground, her grey eyes focusing on her opponent. She stared back just as hard, her eyes reading murder. So, the both really had set out to kill each other?

_I can see when you stay low nothing happens. _

_Does it feel right?_

She shook her head, he hair falling out of the high ponytail she had it in. A strong gust of wind blew it, flailing it out everywhere. Her hair suddenly stood on end, frizzing up. That could only mean one thing: a storm. She looked up, and at no surprise to her; a thunderstorm was blowing in, and fast. Pretty ironic for this situation.

She said one thing: "Keh." and before the words had even left her mouth, a jumble of lightning was coming her way. She couldn't get away fast enough. The lightning slammed into her, knocking her into the nearest tree. After a minute, the shock wore off, and she sat up, dazed.

_Late at night things I thought I put behind me _

_ haunt my mind._

She raised her sword, closing her eyes and focusing. She opened them and raised her sword, swinging it as if swinging a bat toward her opponent.

"Todoroki! Kami no Sanda!" She screamed out her Shikai's name, and a loud, rumbling sound was heard. It was quiet for a second, then suddenly an unseen force slammed her opponent back. When she finally sat up, her head was bleeding. Her opponent raised her hand to her head, and upon feeling the blood, looked back up at her in what looked like shock, as if suddenly realizing what was going on.

Her opponent used her sword to stand up, and instantly disappeared. Out of nowhere, she appeared behind her, with the opposing sword up against her back where her heart lay. He opponent spoke to her for the first time in a year.

"I win, and it was way too easy. I'm disappointed in you, Chiyo Decchi. Oh, and don't try anything, because I _won't_ hesitate to kill you here and now." As she spoke, Chiyo noticed her opponent's hand that was holding her sword was shaking. She looked down at her own hands, and noticed they were as well.

_I just know there's no escape now _

_ once it sets its eyes on you. _

_ But I won't run, _

_ have to stare it in the eye._

Chiyo looked up, and closed her eyes. When she opened them, tears had begun to fill them.

"You think I'm done? I'm just getting started, Ryu-_Sensei_!" By using Sensei, she was mocking her. She hadn't called her that in over a year. And never again would she. Not in respect at least.

Chiyo dropped down suddenly, and attempted to sweep Ryu's legs out from under her. Ryu managed to jump out of the way, but when she looked back down, Chiyo had disappeared.

_ Stand my ground, I won't give in. _

_ No more denying, I've got to face it. _

_ Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside. _

_ If I don't make it, someone else will _

_ stand my ground._

Tears were beginning to fall from Chiyo's eyes. She didn't want to do this. She really, really didn't want to. But she had to, she knew it. 'But,' she thought, 'how can I kill my former Sensei, my...my best friend?'

Her left hand clenched into a fist, her nails digging into her palm. She looked down at her hand, and the blood dripping from her now torn up palm onto the tree branch she rested upon. She knew this pain was nothing compared to the pain she would feel. No matter if she won or lost.

_ It's all around, getting stronger, coming closer _

_ into my world._

_ I can feel that it's time for me to face it, _

_ can I take it?_

Ryu leaned again the nearest tree, her head throbbing. She didn't put her guard down too much though. She could be out there anywhere, ready to attack Ryu when she had her defences down. Part of her really wished Chiyo had run from the fight. But part of her wished she hadn't. They were finally going to settle this, though she knew that after they finished, only one of them would walk away from the battle.

A white light suddenly flashed in front of her eyes, and a smiling Chiyo was standing in front of her, dressed in a white gown. She giggled, and twirled around, the dress flowing out around her. She turned to look at Ryu, and gave her a large grin.

"I'm finally getting married! Can you believe it, Sensei? And to Urahara!" She laughed, her face blushing red. "Sensei...how do I look?" Another white flash; this time, she saw herself in a white gown. She was laughing, and Chiyo was fooling around with the veil atop her head.

"Well, Sensei, it's finally your turn! Byakuya is such a lucky guy! She turned around, and walked over to the door of the dressing room. "And I've got a surprise for you!" She opened the door, and in stepped Ryu's family. She saw herself scream, and as she began running towards them, another white flash; this time, they were training in the fields outside Seireitei. Flash; cake on Chiyo's hair. Flash; fighting their first hollow together. Flash; their necklaces being given to each other.

"The necklaces! We're both still wearing them!" She instantly reached up and felt the necklace around her neck. An 'R' and 'C' connected to show their friendship and loyalty to one another.

She felt a drop on her hand, and realized that she was crying. She quickly wiped her eyes, and yet another drop fell upon her, this time atop her head. She looked up, and was hit with a barrage of rain. The storm was here. It was time.

_Though this might just be the ending _

_ of the life I held so dear. _

_ But I won't run, _

_ there's no turning back from here._

She stepped out into the field, and looked up. She was ready. She knew what she had to do. She suddenly turned, her sword blocking Chiyo's from hitting her from behind. For a split second, she looked at Chiyo's neck, and saw the necklace was still there. She looked at Chiyo.

"Your necklace! You're still wearing it!" Looking at Chiyo's face, she saw her look to see that she was also wearing it.

"And so are you!" Chiyo pulled away, disappearing again. Out of the corner of Ryu's eye, she say Chiyo to the left. She raised her sword.

"Batsu! Kami no Raitoningu!" Her Shikai. Another jumble of lightning barrelled its way toward Chiyo. But, unlike last time, this was amplified by the raging storm. It struck Chiyo. But she was back up again, sending her attack back at Ryu. He attack was also amplified by the storm. Ryu got up, holding her shoulder. More and more attacks were shot at each other, some missing, some hitting their target.

Chiyo attempted a frontal assault, frustrated by the lack of anything getting done, erupting into some hand to hand combat. They fought as the storm raged on, finally ending in both swords positioned over each others hearts.

_Stand my ground, I won't give in. _

_ No more denying, I've got to face it. _

_ Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside. _

_ If I don't make it, someone else will _

_ stand my ground._

Both Shinagami's panted hard, both out of breath, bleeding, bruised and battered. Looking at each other, each noticed the other has tears streaming down their face. Both Shinagami's hands were shaking violently, and neither of them could stop.

Chiyo was the first to speak. It was a sincere as Ryu had ever heard her.

"Sensei?"

_All I know for sure is I'm trying. _

_ I will always stand my ground._

Ryu just stared back, not changing her facial expression. More tears were coming now, just at that one word. She spoke back.

"Hai,...Chiyo-Chan?" Chiyo's face didn't change either.

"Things can't ever go back to the way they were, can they?" Ryu shook her head.

"I don't know Chiyo-Chan. I really don't. But, we have to end this!" She glared back at Chiyo, her eyes screaming. Whether it was in pain or in anger, Chiyo didn't know.

"Now!" They both screamed out at the same time, both swords going forward as their owner's pushed them with all their power. The last thing both Ryu and Chiyo saw was the other mouthing 'Gomennasai.'

_Stand my ground, I won't give in. _

_ No more denying, I've got to face it._

_ Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside. _

_ If I don't make it, someone else will _

_ stand my ground._

Somewhere outside Seireitei, two identical necklaces fell to the rain-soaked ground, the thunder rumbling in the background. A flash of lightning, and the necklaces are gone, forever lost.

_Stand my ground, I won't give in. _

_ No more denying, I've got to face it. _

_ Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside. _

_ If I don't make it, someone else will _

_ stand my ground._


End file.
